For the three months ended September 30, 2024, non-interest expense decreased $56,000, or 1.5%, over the comparable 2023 period. This was due to a $171,000, or 7.5% reduction in salaries and employee benefits, which decreased due to lower headcount and increased expenses in 2023 related to the retirement of the previous Chief Executive Officer, and a $40,000, or 31.9%, decrease in advertising expenses. Our FDIC insurance assessment also decreased by $26,000, or 19.8%. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in professional fees of $99,000, or 66.4%, due to higher consulting expense related to strategic business planning. Data processing expense also increased $100,000, or 48.8%, due to higher processing costs.

Income tax expense decreased $48,000, or 38.3%, to a benefit of $173,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 from a $125,000 benefit for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was due to a reduction of $166,000 in taxable income.

Comparison of Operating Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023

Net income decreased by $2.8 million, or 156.1%, to a net loss of $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from net income of $1.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease of $3.7 million in net interest income, partially offset by a decrease of $1.1 million in income tax expense.

Interest income increased $3.4 million, or 12.4%, from $27.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to $31.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 due to higher yields on interest-earning assets and an increase in the average balance of securities, partially offset by a decrease in the average balance of loans and cash and cash equivalents.

Interest income on cash and cash equivalents decreased $8,000, or 1.9%, to $415,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $423,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 due a $2.3 million decrease in the average balance to $9.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $11.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, reflecting the decrease of liquidity due to increased securities purchases. This decrease was offset by a 111 basis point increase in the average yield due to the higher interest rate environment.

Interest income on loans increased $1.1 million, or 4.5%, to $24.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $23.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 due primarily to a 20 basis point increase in the average yield from 4.46% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to 4.66% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, offset by a $1.9 million decrease in the average balance to $711.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $713.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Interest income on securities increased $2.2 million, or 69.4%, to $5.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $3.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 primarily due to a 112 basis point increase in the average yield from 2.80% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to 3.92% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, and a $31.0 million increase in the average balance to $179.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $148.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Income from other interest-earning assets, which primarily consisted of Federal Home Loan Bank stock, increased $209,000, or 27.1% to $981,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $772,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 due to dividends paid on such stock.

Interest expense increased $7.1 million, or 45.5%, from $15.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to $22.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 due to higher costs and average balances on certificates of deposit and borrowings.

Interest expense on interest-bearing deposits increased $5.3 million, or 41.5%, to $18.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $12.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was due to a 121 basis point increase in the average cost of deposits to 3.88% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 2.67% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in the average cost of deposits was due to the higher interest rate environment and a change in the composition of the deposit portfolio. The average balances of certificates of deposit increased $12.0 million to $510.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $498.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 while average NOW/money market accounts and savings accounts decreased $24.2 million and $5.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Interest expense on Federal Home Loan Bank advances increased $1.8 million, or 62.7%, from $2.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to $4.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the average balance of $60.7 million to $171.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $110.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was also due to an increase in the average cost of borrowings of 17 basis points to 3.67% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 3.50% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 due to new borrowings being at higher rates. At September 30, 2024, cash flow hedges used to manage interest rate risk had a notional value of $65.0 million, while fair value hedges totaled $60.0 million in notional value. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the use of the cash flow hedges reduced the interest expense on the Federal Home Loan Bank advances and certificates of deposit by $1.2 million.

Net interest income decreased $3.7 million, or 30.6%, to $8.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $12.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease reflected a 68 basis point decrease in our net interest rate spread to 0.73% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 1.41% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Our net interest margin decreased 59 basis points to 1.23% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 1.82% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

We recorded a $70,000 provision for credit losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to a $125,000 recovery for credit losses for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, which was due to a decrease in loan balances in 2023. The entire provision in the first three quarters of 2024 was due to an increase in held-to-maturity corporate securities.

Non-interest income increased by $73,000, or 8.5%, to $929,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $856,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to bank-owned life insurance income, which increased $74,000, or 12.9%, due to higher balances during 2024.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, non-interest expense increased $163,000, or 1.5%, over the comparable 2023 period. Professional fees increased $270,000, or 65.5% due to higher consulting expense related to strategic business planning. Data processing expense increased $210,000, or 29.3%, due to higher processing costs. These were offset by a $333,000, or 4.9%, reduction in salaries and employee benefit, which decreased due to lower headcount and increased expenses in 2023 related to the retirement of the previous Chief Executive Officer.

Income tax expense decreased $1.1 million, or 292.2%, to a benefit of $741,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from a $386,000 expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was due to a reduction of $4.0 million in taxable income.

Balance Sheet Analysis

Total assets were $978.8 million at September 30, 2024, representing an increase of $39.5 million, or 4.2%, from December 31, 2023. Cash and cash equivalents decreased $3.9 million during the period primarily due to the purchase of new securities offset by loan repayments. Net loans decreased $5.8 million, or 0.8%, due to $22.5 million in repayments including a $12.6 million decrease in the balance of residential loans, as well as a $9.1 million decrease in the balance of construction loans and a decrease of $915,000 in multifamily loans. The decrease was partially offset by new production of $16.7 million, including $13.1 million and $3.6 million of commercial real estate and commercial and industrial loans, respectively. The Company also purchased a pool of residential loans totaling $10.4 million. Due to the interest rate environment, we have experienced a decrease in demand for residential and construction loans, which have been primary drivers of our loan growth in recent periods. Securities held to maturity increased $7.4 million, or 10.3%, and securities available for sale increased $40.0 million, or 57.6%, due to new purchases of mortgage-backed securities with excess cash.

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November 01, 2024 09:00 ET (13:00 GMT)